State of the University

On Tuesday, September 23, President Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., addressed students, faculty, and staff at two State of the University addresses, which were delivered in Kasbeer Hall and the Galvin Auditorium. For those interested in watching the Lake Shore Campus address, please see the recording above. Below, please find some of the highlights from Father Garanzini's addresses.

Growing Health Sciences—Father Garanzini reiterated the importance of the Health Sciences Division to the University and talked about the growing public health enterprise, which welcomed approximately 100 new faculty members this year and is seeing a larger demand for nurses seeking an advanced degree. He recognized the strong work of Dr. Gamelli, senior vice president and provost of the Health Sciences Division, who will retire this October. He also provided an update on the construction of the new Center for Translational Research and Education and discussed the need for more grants and external research at the campus—something the new center should help lead to.

Lakeside Success—Enrollment across the University is strong, and last year the University’s financials ended in the “black.” At the start of the academic year, the University welcomed 4,720 new students across all enrollment streams and hired 92 new faculty members, many of which are full-time professors. Father Garanzini also noted that while the University is committed to standard-of-living pay increases, faculty salaries need to be increased even further, and a three-year plan is being implemented to stay current with salary standards.

Game Changers—Two initiatives coming soon have been called “game changers” by Father Garanzini. First up, he discussed the formation of a bachelor’s in engineering, a new program that will further strengthen the University’s STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) offerings. Coming next fall, the program will focus on environmental and software engineering, among other areas. He also provided some updates regarding the new Arrupe College, which will open next fall. The dean of the college, Steve Katsouros, S.J., has recently come aboard and is working on necessary approvals that will allow us to begin marketing the school to prospective students. At the address, Father Garanzini touched on several topics related to the school, including the type of degree that will be awarded, financial assistance available to the students, the structure of the college, the types of students we’ll be recruiting, and more.

New Appointments—Father Garanzini announced new officers who have been approved by the Board of Trustees, including Rob Munson as senior vice president for finance and CFO; Jane Neufeld as vice president for student development; Justin Daffron, S.J., as vice president for advancement; and Steve Bergfeld as senior vice president for Health Sciences Division administration. He also noted Tom Regan, S.J., will continue serving as interim dean for the College of Arts and Sciences, and the University is looking to fill a few other positions, including a new athletics director.

Campus Construction—New facilities across the campuses were highlighted, including the completion of the Damen Student Center addition, the opening of Kenmore Plaza, and the status of the West Quad at Lake Shore Campus. The Schreiber Center at Water Tower Campus is set to open next fall, as is the Center for Translational Research and Education at the Health Sciences Campus. Father Garanzini again noted the importance of the new research facility, as it will expand the University’s footprint in specialized research.

The University’s Direction—The new five-year strategic plan, which will commence in 2015, will focus on social justice. Father Garanzini highlighted the importance for the University to discover the “next ‘best’ thing we should be doing now” and says the University can do more. He highlighted the leadership role the University could play in addressing social problems such as health care disparities, crime and violence in our communities, access to quality education, etc. Sam Attoh, PhD, dean of The Graduate School, is spearheading the effort to develop the next plan and more information about it will be available soon.

Strengthening the Community—When asked about future plans for the Lake Shore Campus, Father Garanzini mentioned he’d like to invigorate the Rogers Park/Edgewater communities and encourage business owners, especially on Broadway and Devon, to get more involved with the University. He also referenced plans for a new hotel that will be constructed across from Campion Hall, along with plans for a new public library, Whole Foods, and Walgreens that will open nearby.

Questions regarding these events can be directed to Lorraine Snyder at lsnyde2@luc.edu or 312.915.6400.